Rotation and Tire Longevity

This probably goes without saying, but it's always worth reminding car owners that rotating the tires means they'll wear more evenly. And even wear is the key to getting the most out of a set of tires -- no matter what type of tire you're using.

Rotating the tires means taking them all off and moving each one to a new position on the car. Rear tires wear differently than front tires, depending on whether it's a front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive car. Left tires wear differently than right ones, too, depending on the number of turns taken in either direction or how carefully you parallel park. We've probably all scraped a right tire or two in our time; rotating the tires means not scraping the same poor tire over and over again against the curb.

Most automakers and tire manufacturers recommend rotating the rubber every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (9,656 to 12,875 kilometers). If your car has a full-sized spare -- a tire that looks just like the ones mounted on the car and not a little black donut for emergency use -- then make sure that the fifth tire is included in the rotation, too. That will help reduce wear on each tire quite a bit and give you the maximum life for your set of tires.

When you're talking about tires, a little maintenance goes a long way. We're hoping that if you follow these tips, your tires will go a long way, too. For more information about tires and other related topics, follow the links on the next page.

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